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Register Now: Coop Symposium 2026!
We're inviting you to join us for our 8th Annual Coop Symposium, April 17th, 2026, in Epes Alabama at the Federation's Rural Training & Research Center! WHAT TO EXPECT! Participants will convene in state-based breakout sessions during this year’s symposium to explore the policies, challenges, and opportunities shaping cooperative development in their regions. Through collaborative dialogue, attendees will help define a shared vision and set of advocacy priorities to strengt
SAVE THE DATES: Annual Meeting 2026
Stay tuned for more details! Thursday - Birmingham, AL Friday - Saturday - Epes, AL
Hands in the Soil: Women Cultivating Land, Community, & Cooperative Power!
📅 Monday, March 30 🕛 12:00 PM (Noon) eastern Register here! You’ll hear from Federation Board Chair Shirley Blakley, alongside Federation staff Jackie Figg, Shelia Daniels, and Alicia Jordan, and Louise Witherspoon Williams, daughter of Federation founding cooperative member Estelle Witherspoon. As we close out Women’s History Month, we’re creating space for reflection and conversation. Join us for a special webinar on Monday, Noon Eastern time, recognizing the UN’s desi
Latest News Around the Federation
Federation Engages Mellissa Craig to Guide Next Phase of SOCO Marketing Efforts
The Federation of Southern Cooperatives is proud to reintroduce SOCO Marketing LLC, its wholly owned subsidiary and regional marketing system dedicated to expanding market opportunities for Black farmers, landowners, and cooperatives across its seven-state footprint. This next chapter is about building stronger, more coordinated pathways from farm to market. Many producers face common challenges securing consistent buyers, meeting larger volume requirements, navigating logist
FSC/LAF
Mar 171 min read
The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund Welcomes Nya-Simone Caldwell as Land Retention Specialist for the State of Mississippi
Originally published: January 5, 2026 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Atlanta, Georgia — The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund is pleased to announce the appointment of Nya-Simone Caldwell as Land Retention Specialist for its Mississippi Association of Cooperatives (MAC) office. Nya-Simone is a Louisiana native whose work centers on dispute resolution, property-related matters, and community-centered advocacy. She is committed to supporting individuals and famil
FSC/LAF
Mar 161 min read
The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund Welcomes Frederick Carter as New Director of Finance
Originally Published: November 17, 2025 Atlanta, Georgia — The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund is pleased to announce the appointment of Frederick (Fred) Carter as its new Director of Finance, effective November 17, 2025. Fred brings to the Federation’s executive leadership team a decade of progressive experience in accounting, in addition to his background in government financial management and nonprofit administration. Fred holds a Bachelor of Bu
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Mar 161 min read
Donate to the Memorial Legacy Project to Preserve the Federation's Legacy!
Donate Here! View the Master Plan! Thank you for your interest in donating to the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistant Fund's Memorial Legacy Project (MLP). The goal of the MLP project is to memorialize and honor the individuals, organizations, and funders who were instrumental in the creation and work of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund ("the Federation"). The work of MLP will underscore the efficacy of cooperative economic developme
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Mar 101 min read
Charles O. Prejean Tribute written by John Zippert
Charles was born on May 6, 1941, in Lafayette, Louisiana, the third of seven children of Oran and Edolia Prejean. The grandson of sharecroppers, he grew up in the segregated, low-income society of 1940s and 1950s Louisiana. He attended Catholic primary and secondary schools before entering the Society of the Divine Word Seminary in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, with the intention of becoming a priest. Guided by faith, he ultimately discerned that he could serve more effectively
FSC/LAF
Mar 102 min read
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